[none]

[Michael Scarpitti <mikescarpitti@yahoo.com>]

Subject: [Leica] Re: Kodachrome      
Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 17:48:24 -0700 Status: Normal 
From: Jim Brick <jimbrick@photoaccess.com>   
Professional photographers, usually use multiple
equipment formats, 35mm, MF, and LF. How long has it
been since Kodachrome was available in anything but
35mm? 

Doesn't really need to be. It can often match or
exceed the quality of larger formats with other film
types.

It is pretty difficult to standardize a look, a
process, a consistency, if you change film types
between formats. And there is a huge difference
between the look of Kodachrome and the look of E6. 

Yes, in favor of Kodachrome, fortunately for us.

I participated in a heavy duty Kodachrome test,
conducted by Kodak a couple of years ago. They
supplied me with Kodachrome to use in parallel with my
E6 films. They know I use mostly Fuji E6 films. I used
two R7's with RRS quick release plates and used Velvia
in one body and K64 in the other. Swapped
cameras/lenses on every photograph. Calypso processed
the E6 and Kodak processed the K14. These were
photographs for our upcoming book on Napa Valley Wine
Country. Next to the Velvia, the Kodachrome was
disappointing. 

In what way? Surely not in shadow detail (of which
Velvomita has none); surely not in color accuracy (of
which Velvomita has none); surely not in sharness and
fine detail, of which the Kodachrome has more.

The huge questionnaire that accompanied the test
results asked questions like "If a Kodachrome were
produced that had the look of your current E6 films,
would you switch?" 

Why would Kodak make such a STUPID statement? Why
would someone want a Kodachrome that looked like an
Ektachrome? This proves beyond a doubt that Koadk has
lost whatever little intelligence that they once may
have had.

To which I answered "possibly, if processing were made
to be as convenient as E6." I've said this many times.
After paying for travel, lodging, meals, film,
negotiated access, etc..., which for three or four
days of photographing, ends up being a sizable sum of
money. And usually is not repeatable. Or even a
vacation, which is never cheap and cannot be repeated
easily: "There is no way in hell that I am going to
send my precious film, through the mail, via express
service, via courier, or any other method of
transportation that is not "ME". I will either process
it myself or personally take it to a local Pro lab,
where I know everyone. Basically, my film is in known
hands at all times." Sure, the lab can screw-up. Sure,
I can screw up. But add to that an unknown courier of
some sort to a lab. An unknown lab with unknown lab
people in an unknown location, returned by unknown
people via some courier service. I DON'T THINK SO! I
have seen many UPS delivery disasters. I have had a
UPS number and pickup service for 30 years. I have
seen numerous FedEx delivery disasters. And don't get
me started about the US Snail Mail. You all worry
about X-Rays.Ever see cooked film? The latent image is
the most vulnerable to heat. FedEx, UPS, and Snail
Mail trucks and vans are not air conditioned. Neither
are their holding depots. The bottom line is that
after a huge amount of work and expense, of which I
have "total" control, their is not going to be an
unknown lapse in the loop, at the end, where the
rubber meets the road. No way, Jose! (No way, Hose-A!)
I have made and sold many prints, from E6 film,
40"x40", 50"x50",and 48"x60". These prints are dead
sharp, bright, clean, vivid color, with no visible
sign of grain. Like I'm missing something... not!
Kodachrome is a great K14 film. Fuji Velvia, Kodak
E100VS, E100S, & E100SW are great E6 films. 
You can get the same E6 film across all formats, 35mm,
120, 220, 2-1/4x3-1/4, 4x5, 5x7, and 8x10. You can get
K14 films in 35mm only. It doesn't take more than two
brain cells to figure out this one! 

That's right! You don't NEED larger formats with
Kodachrome.


It's 9 O'Clock. Do you know where your film is? In a
container on the tarmac in Memphis? In a UPS van in
Houston Texas? On a loading dock in Biloxi
Mississippi? Jim >At 03:41 PM 5/31/00 -0700, Michael
Scarpitti wrote: >> >>Someone on the list has admitted
to seeing the light >>(ahem!) and being rescued from
the land of the >>brainwashed N**** and C**** users to
the land of the >>living. So refreshing.... >>
>>Someone else has taken up Kodachrome after 20 years
in >>the desert. How very, very, interesting. Could it
be >>that perhaps, after all, I did reach some of you?
>> >>As for the rest of you: >>Repent! All ye N****
and C**** users! >>Repent! All ye Velvomita users!  


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